Improvement in steam-traps



GEORGE M. HOPKINS, OF ALBION, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-TRAPS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. ISQJGQ, dated April Q0,1875; application filed February 2l, 1874.

To all ywhom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HOPKINS,

of Albion, in the county ot' Orleans and State of' New York, haveinvented certain 'Improvements in Steam-Traps, of which the following isa specification:

The object oi' my invention is to furnish a steam-trap which cannotfreeze so as to prevent its operating or injure any ot' its parts.

It consists in a heavy iron cylinder having an expansion-tube ot' brassprojecting horizontally Jfrom its head, and provided with iron rods andlevers to operate valves, one at the outer end ot' the tube and theother at the head ot' the iron cylinder, which is placed below theexpansion-tube and near the bottom ofthe cylinder. These valves are notacted upon directly by the levers, as springs are interposed, whichreceive the motion from the levers, and which in turn operate thevalves. By this arrangement, ii' the valves are clogged from any cause,none of the parts can be strained.

Figure l in the accompanying drawing illustrates the main features ofthe invention.

A is an iron cylinder. B is an expansiontube tiXed to and projectinghorizontally from the head of the cylinder. O is a valve attached to theouter end ot' the tube B, opening outward. D is a spring, having one endfree and the other fixed, and arranged to hold the valve open. E is alever, having a fulcrum on the pin a, which passes through iron rods b.rIhese rods are rigidly fixed at c. At d a pin passes through ears onthe casting at the end ofthe tube, and also through the lever E. A valveis placed at F, which is arranged similar to the one just described,having the spring 1)', which holds the valve open, and the lever E',having a fixed fulcrnm at a. and jointed to the rod b. This rod is tixedto the outer end of the tube. e e are adjusting-screws in the ends ofthe levers E E. G is the tube which conducts the drip to the trap.

As the valves are set open when the expansion-tube is cold, it isevident that, while the water from the pipes is moderately cool, it willcontinue to pass out at the valves, and When the tube is warmed by veryhot water or steam, and consequently expanded, it will move the levers EE', which will depress the springs D D and closey the valves more orless. When the steam is shut oi' from the pipes which the trap drainsthe cylinder A will retain heat sut'- ciently long to allow all thewater to pass out without freezing.

Should a small quant-ity of water freeze'in the lower valve, the upperone is not prevented from Working by virtue of the yielding ot' thespring D.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination with the pipe G and theexpansion-tube B, the independent intermediate cylinder A, whereby thetrap is adapted to retain heat, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

The combination of the valves C and'I, J

tube B, and cylinder A, substantially as specied.

3. The combination of the leversE E', screws e c', springs D D', valvesC and F, rods b 0.', and expansion-tube B, substantially as shown anddescribed. y

GEO. M. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. STRAIGHT, R. ANDREWS, J r.

